Will Yanukovych be able to run Ukraine without enough mandate?

Yaroslav Hrytsak, historian:
Yanukovych and his team, like the Bourbons who came to power after Napoleon’s fall, didn’t learn a lesson.
I wouldn’t like to step in Yanukovych’s shoes, because he will get an alienated country and the capital. Over the past 5 years, Kyiv has become more anti-Yanukovych, and it will be interesting to watch how he will play on such a hostile turf.
If Yanukovych and his entourage have gotten wiser than they look on television, they will opt for compromise and consensus. After all, with a lack of mandate the only way to run the country is to strike compromises.
Important, what kind of compromises will there be, backroom and short-lived or public and related to the crucial issues of the country’s development. Knowing well Yanukovych’s entourage, I bet the first kind of a compromise will prevail.
The Yanukovych team resembles the Bourbons who returned to power after Napoleon’s downfall. They didn’t forget anything, and they didn’t learn from the past, either. If Yanukovych didn’t forget anything and didn’t learn from the past, he will enforce the rule of the minority on Ukraine, resembling the Kuchma regime in its final 2 years, with massive strikes, demonstrations and paralyzed power. I wouldn’t risk to forecast the fallout that may ensue.
Kyiv is stronger than Yanukovych or any other politician. I believe, the one-man- rule scenario is out of the question.
There is no love lost between Yanukovych and Western Ukraine. Still, West Ukrainians will tolerate Yanukovych on condition he behaves wisely enough. It will be a test for wisdom for Yanukovych’s entourage.
Mykhailo Pohrebinsky, political expert:
At the start of his term, Viktor Yushchenko also had the support of only a half of Ukraine. For several months voters in the east, center and south of Ukraine expected Yushchenko to show prudence and the ability to strike compromises. His approval rating even went up to reach over 60 percent. However, Yushchenko failed to deliver on his promises to heal the rift, and his rating began to plummet.
The US president has the backing of a half of US citizenry. It is quite normal. What matters is the policy he pursues. Will he force the vision of a half of Americans on the other half?
I am convinced that Yanukovych won’t do this. Not so much because his IQ is higher than Yushchenko’s (despite his notorious inability to speak affectively). Yanukovych is ready to accept that half of the country views Stepan Bandera as a hero. But he is aware that the love for Bandera should not be forced on Ukrainians living in the south and center.
Taras Chornovil, a maverick lawmaker:
Who told you Yanukovych is going to run the country? He ran the country in 2003-2004, dealing with any emergency, keeping a close eye on the budget. However, in 2006-2007 [his second term as premier] he wouldn’t often even show up at cabinet sessions, with Azarov or someone else taking over.
Yanukovych is not going to keep his nose to the grindstone too much. He wants a new coalition and cabinet. He wants to pass the buck to them and spend time in his country residence Mezhyhirya.
Yanukovych took his personal revenge and his team is pleased.
Many Ukraine key figures will obediently go on their knees in front of Yanukovych, awaiting instructions.
Volodymyr Fesenko, political expert:
Yanukovych will not stop wooing Russia
Yanukovych will try to demonstrate to Western Ukrainians his respect for Ukrainian national values, sending out a message that he intends to be the president of the whole Ukraine. Incidentally, it is one of the reasons he wants a coalition with NUNS.
Meanwhile, Yanukovych and the pro-Russian part of his party will be forced to demonstrate their allegiance to Russia, much to the chagrin of Western Ukrainians.
Yevhen Holovakha, deputy director of NASU Institute of Sociology:
Western regions will dislike Yanukovych. Central regions will be wary and eastern regions may turn their back on him.
The going for Yanukovych will be rough, with half of Ukraine not supporting him.
His position is further deteriorated by world recession hitting Ukraine hard. Ukraine has lost 18 percent of its GDP in 2009, a world record.
Many voters backed Yanukovych in the hope that he can deal with the recession. It is a major reason why he won.
His task now is to pull Ukraine out of the economic nosedive and meet the expectations of his supporters. Failing this, they will turn their backs on him, too.